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    What Are Mainframe Modernization Tools? 

    Mainframe modernization tools are software solutions that help organizations update and improve their legacy mainframe systems. They transform outdated mainframe applications, infrastructure, and processes, making it possible to leverage modern computing environments such as cloud, containerization, and microservices. 

    Typically, mainframe modernization tools include features for code conversion, automated testing, data migration, and integration with modern architectures. By enabling a phased or full transition from legacy systems, these tools help organizations maintain mission-critical operations while improving performance, flexibility, and cost efficiency.

    This is part of a series of articles about application modernization

    Key Features to Look for in Mainframe Modernization Tools 

    When choosing a solution to assist in modernizing mainframe systems, organizations should look for the following capabilities and features.

    Integration Capabilities

    Integration enables smoother data flows, reducing data silos, and improving cross-platform interactions. Organizations should look for tools that offer native support for varied protocols and APIs, enabling connectivity across diverse computing environments.

    Integration addresses both current needs and accommodates future technological advancements. This capability minimizes disruptions and simplifies the adoption of new technologies. 

    Automation Features

    Automation features in modernization tools improve efficiency by reducing manual intervention in repetitive tasks. These features can simplify processes such as code conversion, testing, and deployment, leading to faster project completion and reduced error rates. 

    Tools with strong automation capabilities allow teams to focus on higher-order tasks, improving overall productivity. By minimizing human error, automation enables consistent and reliable results, crucial in large-scale transformations. 

    Cloud Compatibility

    Cloud-compatible tools support smoother transitions to cloud environments, offering on-demand resources, improved performance, and potential cost savings. Organizations can adopt hybrid or full cloud strategies, depending on their specific needs.

    Tools supporting various cloud services and integration capabilities allow for smooth data migration and application deployment. Cloud compatibility also improves disaster recovery and business continuity capabilities, as cloud environments often come with strong backup and recovery solutions. 

    Security Features

    Tools should offer encryption, access controls, and compliance with industry standards to protect information throughout the modernization process. Given the rise in cyber threats, strong security is non-negotiable in any modernization tool.

    Legacy systems often lack modern security measures, requiring their inclusion in the modernization phase. Security features should enable continuous monitoring and threat detection, providing real-time alerts and responses to potential risks. 

    Support for Legacy Code

    Tools must provide capabilities to handle existing codebases, ensuring compatibility and performance. Legacy code support allows for effective refactoring, rewriting, or rehosting strategies, minimizing disruptions and preserving core functionality.

    Tools skilled in managing legacy code enable gradual transformation, accommodating iterative improvements without extensive resource allocation. They often include analysis and optimization features, recognizing code dependencies and potential pitfalls. 

    10 Notable Mainframe Modernization Solutions 

    1. Swimm

    Swimm is a solution that helps accelerate the migration and modernization of mainframe code by streamlining the process of documenting and understanding legacy systems and mainframe code. Swimm helps bridge the knowledge gap between mainframe environments and modern architectures, enabling teams to confidently understand, modernize, and operate mainframe workloads.

    License: Commercial

    Key features include:

    • Code discovery: Automatically generate documentation for mainframe codebases, uncovering dependencies, complexities, and opportunities for optimization to help guide modernization strategies
    • Knowledge discovery: Links code to contextually relevant documentation, enabling teams to understand legacy systems and make informed decisions during refactoring or replatforming
    • Operational readiness: Maintains accurate and up-to-date documentation that stays up to date automatically with every code change
    • Seamless integration: Works with all of the tools already in your stack
    • AI chat: Chat with your codebase and get accurate responses grounded in the logic and context of your organization

    2. AWS Mainframe Modernization

    AWS Mainframe Modernization is a service that enables the migration and modernization of mainframe applications to the AWS Cloud. It offers tools and resources to assess, transform, develop, test, and operate mainframe workloads within a managed runtime environment on AWS.

    License: Commercial

    Key features include:

    • Assessment tools: Analyzes existing mainframe applications to understand dependencies, complexities, and define modernization strategies.
    • Automated refactoring: Converts legacy code into modern languages, such as Java, using AWS Blu Age, enabling the transformation of monolithic applications into microservices architectures.
    • Replatforming capabilities: Migrates applications with minimal code changes through integrated tools like Micro Focus and NTT Data.
    • Managed runtime environment: Runs modernized applications on a fully managed, highly available runtime that automates capacity provisioning, security, load balancing, scaling, and application health monitoring.
    • Continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD): Implements CI/CD pipelines to automate the build, test, and deployment processes.

    Source: AWS

    3. Microsoft Azure Mainframe Migration

    Microsoft Azure Mainframe Migration is a suite of services and tools to assist organizations in transitioning their mainframe applications and workloads to the Azure cloud platform. It aims to modernize legacy systems, improve scalability, and reduce operational costs.

    License: Commercial

    Key features include:

    • Assessment and planning tools: Analyzes existing mainframe environments to identify dependencies, complexities, and suitable migration strategies.
    • Code conversion and refactoring: Provides tools that convert legacy codebases, such as COBOL or PL/I, into modern languages compatible with Azure.
    • Rehosting capabilities: Migrates mainframe applications with minimal code changes by rehosting them on Azure Virtual Machines.
    • Data migration services: Offers Azure Data Factory and other services to transfer mainframe data to Azure databases, ensuring data integrity and consistency throughout the migration process.
    • Integration with Azure DevOps: Allows users to implement CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps.

    Source: Microsoft 

    Tips from the expert

    Omer Rosenbaum
    Omer Rosenbaum
    CTO & Co-founder @ Swimm
    1.
    Consider phased integration options: Look for tools supporting phased migrations, allowing incremental transitions, which reduces disruption and lets teams adjust gradually.
    2.
    Optimize with pre-migration dependency mapping: Use dependency analysis to highlight key dependencies, avoiding potential issues and bottlenecks early in migration.
    3.
    Plan for hybrid environments: For companies not fully committed to cloud-only, ensure compatibility with hybrid setups to retain flexibility.

    4. Google Cloud’s Dual Run

    Google Cloud’s Dual Run is a mainframe modernization solution that enables organizations to migrate legacy mainframe applications to Google Cloud with reduced risk. It allows parallel execution of workloads on both existing mainframes and Google Cloud, enabling real-time testing and validation without disrupting operations.

    License: Commercial

    Key features include:

    • Parallel processing: Users can simultaneously run workloads on mainframes and Google Cloud, enabling real-time performance and stability testing.
    • Functional equivalence validation: Compares outputs from both systems to ensure the cloud environment replicates mainframe functionality accurately.
    • Automated data synchronization: Keeps data consistent with mainframes during migration, ensuring data integrity.
    • Risk mitigation: Helps validate the modernized application during migration to ensure correctness and performance before going live.
    • Regulatory compliance support: Enables adherence to industry regulations by demonstrating system equivalence and data integrity throughout the migration process.

    5. IBM Cloud Pak for Applications

    IBM Cloud Pak for Applications is a containerized software solution that enables the modernization of existing applications and the development of new cloud-native applications. Built on IBM WebSphere® offerings and Red Hat® OpenShift®, it provides a unified platform to transition between public, private, and hybrid cloud environments.

    License: Commercial

    Key features include:

    • Application runtimes and frameworks: Supports a diverse set of runtimes and frameworks, including IBM WebSphere, Red Hat JBoss®, Quarkus, Tomcat, Node.js, Spring Boot, and Vert.x.
    • AI-powered modernization tools: Incorporates tools like IBM Transformation Advisor and IBM Mono2Micro to assess, prioritize, and refactor existing applications.
    • Kubernetes-based platform: Uses Red Hat OpenShift, providing a consistent Kubernetes foundation for building, deploying, and managing containerized applications across various cloud environments.
    • WebSphere automation: Offers automated security and server health operations for WebSphere Application Server and WebSphere Application Server Liberty, including vulnerability identification, remediation, and server health monitoring.
    • IBM storage fusion software: Provides a container-native, hybrid cloud storage platform that simplifies deployment and data storage management for Kubernetes applications on Red Hat OpenShift.

    Source: IBM

    6. OpenFrame by TmaxSoft

    OpenFrame by TmaxSoft is a mainframe rehosting solution that enables organizations to migrate legacy mainframe applications and data to open systems, such as Linux, Unix, Docker containers, or public cloud platforms, without altering existing business logic.

    License: Commercial

    Key features include:

    • Language support: Supports migration of applications written in COBOL, Assembler, PL/I, Easytrieve, and JCL.
    • Flexible deployment options: Allows deployment on various platforms, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
    • Scalability and performance: Offers horizontal and vertical scalability to deliver high performance.
    • Preservation of business logic: Enables migration without changes to application business logic or end-user experience.
    • Support for modern architectures: Enables modernization from monolithic mainframes to multi-tiered, cloud-ready architectures.

    Source: OpenFrame by TmaxSoft

    7. Open Mainframe Project

    The Open Mainframe Project, established in 2015 under the Linux Foundation, is an initiative aimed at promoting the use of Linux-based operating systems and open-source software on mainframe computers. It serves as a collaborative platform for industry stakeholders to develop and share tools, resources, and best practices.

    License: Apache-2.0

    Repo: https://github.com/openmainframeproject/tac

    GitHub stars: 60+

    Contributors: 20+

    Key features include:

    • Open source projects: Hosts a variety of open-source projects tailored for mainframe environments, such as Zowe—a framework that provides modern interfaces for z/OS systems—and GenevaERS, an enterprise reporting system.
    • Community collaboration: Fosters a global community of developers, vendors, and users who collaborate on advancing mainframe technologies.
    • Educational initiatives: Offers educational resources like the COBOL Programming Course and Mainframe Open Education.
    • Mentorship programs: Provides mentorship opportunities to cultivate mainframe expertise among emerging professionals.
    • Industry partnerships: Collaborates with various organizations and academic institutions to drive innovation, standardization, and the adoption of open-source solutions in mainframe computing.

    Source: Open Mainframe Project

    8. Rocket ChangeMan

    Rocket ChangeMan ZMF is a software change, configuration, and release management tool for IBM z/OS environments. It automates the software development lifecycle, enabling accountability, version control, and quality assurance at every stage.

    License: Commercial

    Key features include:

    • Change packages: Manages all components required for software changes, including source code, copybooks, load modules, JCL, and documentation.
    • Integration with modern development tools: Supports integration with various integrated development environments (IDEs) and DevOps tools.
    • Git connector: Provides integration with Git, enabling users to map Change Packages with Git repositories.
    • Advanced authentication: Offers multi-factor authentication for IBM z/OS endpoints.
    • Zowe CLI plugin: Allows interaction with ChangeMan ZMF systems through a familiar command-line interface.

    Source: Rocket

    9. TIBCO Cloud Integration

    TIBCO Cloud Integration is an integration platform as a service (iPaaS) that enables organizations to connect applications, data, and devices across on-premises and cloud environments. It offers a suite of tools for building, deploying, and managing integrations.

    License: Commercial

    Key features include:

    • Connect: Provides pre-built connectors and an intuitive interface for integrating cloud-based and on-premises applications.
    • Integrate: Uses TIBCO BusinessWorks to design and deploy complex integration applications, supporting a range of protocols and message formats for enterprise integration.
    • Develop: Uses TIBCO Flogo for building lightweight microservices and event-driven applications, suitable for IoT and edge computing scenarios.
    • Manage: Offers API management capabilities through TIBCO Mashery.
    • Hybrid deployment: Supports deployment across cloud and on-premises environments.

    Source: TIBCO 

    10. Zowe

    Zowe is an open-source framework that provides modern interfaces to interact with IBM z/OS mainframe systems. It enables development and operations teams to manage, control, script, and develop on the mainframe using familiar tools and interfaces.

    License: CC-BY-4.0 license

    Repo: https://github.com/zowe/zowe.github.io

    Contributors: 30+

    Key features include:

    • Zowe application framework: A web-based interface offering a virtual desktop with applications to interact with the mainframe, including 3270 terminal emulation, job management, and data set exploration.
    • Zowe command line interface (CLI): Allows users to perform mainframe operations from a command-line environment, enabling automation and integration with modern DevOps pipelines.
    • Zowe explorer: A Visual Studio Code extension that enables developers to interact with z/OS data sets, Unix System Services (USS) files, and jobs directly from the IDE.
    • API mediation layer: Provides a single point of access for mainframe REST APIs, offering API discovery, cataloging, and secure communication.
    • Extensibility: Supports the creation of custom plug-ins and extensions, allowing organizations to tailor the framework to their needs and integrate additional tools and services.

    Source: Zowe 

    Conclusion

    Mainframe modernization tools provide essential capabilities for transitioning legacy systems into modern, flexible environments. By enabling seamless integration, automation, and cloud compatibility, these tools support organizations in optimizing their infrastructure while reducing operational risks and costs. Effective modernization strategies preserve critical business functions and allow for incremental improvements, ensuring continuity throughout the transformation process.